Air-compressor.



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PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903. M. W. MARSDEN. AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1901.

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' No. 723,000.. PATENTBD MAR. 17, 1903.

M. W. MARSDEN.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLIOATION nun we. a, 1901.

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UNITED STATES V PATENT Onrrcn.

MARK W. MARSDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK S.COBB, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 723,000, dated March17, 1903.

Application filed August 8, 1901. Serial No. 71,836. (No model.)'

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MARK W. MARSDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at'Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Air-Compressor, ofwhich the following is a specification.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a machine whichshall be very efficient in transforming power applied to it intocompressed air.

Another object of the invention is to make the machine compact,reliable, and so constructed that the leverage of the parts whichcompress the air is largely in favor of the economy of power.

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient, reliable,durable, and economic pump.

To these and other ends hereinafter set forth the invention, stated ingeneral terms, comprises a series of individually hinged or movablevanes, to which there is imparted as a whole a movement through achamber while opening and closing, so that the vanes feed inward into asuitable chamber, provision being made, as by means of check-valves, forinsuring the described feed and operation.

The invention further comprises the improvements hereinafter describedand claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and. scope of the invention will bemore fully understood from the following description,taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figurel' is a front view, partly in section, of a machine embodying featuresof the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sec tion of themachine shown in Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional View. taken through the center of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, 1 is achamber which when air is being operated upon contains a supply of air.This chamber 1 is cylindrical and is closed at its ends and is providedwith inlets, of which three (2, 3, and at) are shown, although thenumber and shape of the air-inlets may be increased, decreased, orchanged.

As shown, Fig. 1, the air-inlets are arranged obliquely, the objectbeing to have the wall of the chamber 1 smooth and free fromobstructions, so that the wings or vanes 5, 6, 7, and 8 can travelfreely and without shocks, jars, or undue Wear.

9 is a chamber which in the case of the compression of air constitutes areceivingchamber.

The wings or vanes,of which four are shown in the drawings,but of whichthe number may be increased or diminished, move as a whole or as aseries through or around the chamber 1, and while moving they are openedand closed, and in doing this they in the case of air compress it andfeed it inward to the chamber 9 through suitablevalved openings, as 10,of which there is one shown for each vane, although there may ofcoursebe more than one. From the chamber 9 there are means whichcommunicate with the exterior of the machine-for example, the passage11, which communicates with the chamber 9 by way of the openings 12. Forthe sake of further explanation the machine shown in the drawingscomprises a hollow shaft 13, which is not constructed to rotate. Thishollow shaft is turned down on its outside and approximately at itscenter to constitute, together with the carrier 17, the chamber 9, andthe openings 12 are made in this turneddown portion. Internally thishollow shaft 13 is shown as bored out at one end to constitute thepassage 11; but of course the passage 11 may be made to extend towardboth ends of the hollow shaft. Within the hollow sh aft 13 there isshown a pipe 14, which serves to convey water or other cooling medium,if required. As shown, the pipe 14 is fitted with connections 15, Fig.1, for permitting of a circulation of water through it.

16 indicates packing between the parts 13 and 14. Fitted for rotation inrespect to the hollow shaft 13 is a carrier 17. The latter may extend,as shown, clear through the machine and besupported by bearings 18, andthe ends of the carrier 17 may be fitted with one or more pulleys andfly-wheels, as 19 and 20. Between the carrier and the periphery of thepart 13 and on opposite ends of the chamber 9 there are shownring-packings 21 and 22. is shown as generally square, Fig. 3, while itsends are tubular, as has been described. At the corners of the squareportion of the carrier there are projections 23, which are on theiroutside of the form of parts of a circle and which are rectangular onone side and undercut on the other side adjacent to the groove whichconstitutes or may constitute one member of the hinge-joint, the othermember of which is formed on the vanes. The vanes are thus pivoted tothe carrier and when they are shut down close against it their outerfaces,-as well as the corners 23, lie in substantially the are of acircle. The undercut portions of the corners afford clearance, so thatthe vanes may be free to open. The

carrier 17 is also shown as fitted with spring' members 24, which whenpresent operate to tend to open the wings or vanes. As shown, the partscomprise openings cut through the carrier and fitted with spiders and26, of which the spider 25 is equipped with a valve-seat. Operativelyarranged in respect to the opening and valve-seat are checkvalves 27.These are illustrated as equipped with springs which tend to hold themagainst their seats, and their valve-spindles project slightly outwardfrom the carrier. The vanes are constructed to collide with thesevalvespindles, and for this purpose they are shown as slightlycountersunk on their inner faces, so as to accommodate the spiders 25.On the inner faces and at the edges opposite their points of pivotalsupport the vanes are provided with lips 28, as shown.

29 is a cylindrical casing which incloses the chamber 1. Its ends areclosed, and it is shown as held by standards 30 in such a way that itmay not rotate. Encircling thecasing there is a water-jacket 31, whichis inclosed by a shell The ends or heads 33 are shown as fitted withsuitable spaces 34, which also constitute water-jackets, and between theends or heads 33 and the part 17 there are packings 35. The casing 29 isarranged with its axis eccentric in respect to the axis of revolution ofthe carrier 17, as shown in Fig. 3, and this arrangement affords meansfor closing the vanes or wings down onto the carrier 17. The waterconnections 15 are shown to lead through the pipe 14 to the water-jacket31, to the end jackets 34, back to the jacket 31, and thencefrom themachine. The passage 11, which has been described, is shown as connectedat the left-hand end of the machine with the pipe 36, which leads airfrom the machine. For the sake of clearness of explanation I'willproceed .to describe the operation of the machine in connection with thecompression of air.

In the operation of the compressor the vanes or pistons are caused toclose by their rotation with the caarier within the cylindrical casing,this being due to the eccentric relation between said carrier andcylindrical casing. The vanes or pistons are caused to open The centerportion of the carrier 17 partially by the expansive force of the smallamount of compressed fluid underneath them and partially by the outwardpressure of the spring members 24.

Power is applied to the part 17, for example, by way of the pulley 19,so that the part 17 is rotated and at the same time water is caused tocirculate through the various jackets in order. to assist in keeping theapparatus cool. The rotation of the part 17, in reference to Fig. 3, isin a clockwise direction, and atmospheric air enters by way of theinlets 2, 3, and 4. Referring to Fig. 3, the vane 5 takes up under it asupply of air, and as the carrier rotates the vane 5, sliding upon theinner face of the casing 29, is gradually closed down onto the carrier,thus acting as a piston orplunger. The air is compressed under it, andin traveling as described the vane or piston finally is partiallyclosed, for

instance, so that it gets into the position shown by the vane 8, and thecontinued movement of the carrier brings it into the position shown bythe vane 7 in Fig. 3. In closing it is possible for the air which iscompressed under the vane and between it and the carrier to open thecheck-valve whenever the pressure under the vane or piston exceeds thatwithin the chamber 9 to a de gree sufficient to overcome the force ofthe check-valve spring and in that way reach the chamber 9, and this mayoccur at any time intermediate of the travel of the vanes from, forexample, the position shown by the vane 5 to nearly the position shownby the vane 7. However, when the vane reaches the position shown by thevane 7 it collides with the stem of the valve and positively opens thevalve. The result of this is that the airpressure in the chamber 9exerts its influence on the vane and causes it to tightly hug the wallof the casing 29, thus, as it were, insuring a good packing at thatpoint, which, as has been stated, corresponds with the position of thevane 7, Fig. 3. When the valve is open, as has been described, thecompressed air is, as it were, trapped by the lip 28 and acts prettywell throughout the under surface of the vane. The fact that thecheckvalve is pushed open by the vane, as is indicated in the case ofthe vane 7, not only accomplishes the result described in respect to thepacking of the vane by causing it to hug the part 29, but also insuresthe opening of the vane as soon as it has passed to a portion of thecasing 29, where it can open. For example, the vane 6 illustrates in ageneral way the portion of the casing last mentioned, and in thatposition the check-valve reseats itself, and thus prevents the escape ofcompressed air aft-er the vane is well open in position for receiving afresh supply of air when it passes the air-inlets. It will be observedthat air may travel from under the vanes to the chamber 9 whenever itspressure under the vanes exceeds its pressure in the chamber 9, becauseits pressure will open the check- ICC valves at any position of the vanein its travel, and it will be further observed that when the vane isforced down onto its carrier by reason of the eccentricity of the part29 in respect to the axis of the carrier the vane will positively openthe check-valve, and thus permit the compressed air to accomplish twofunctions: first, to hold the vane Well up to the casing and in that wayinsure a good packing for the vane which follows it, and, second, tothrow the vane open into position for again compressing air. It willfurther be observed that in compressing air the vanes feed the airinward toward the center and in that way since they run on the inside ofan eccentric casing the leverage is in favor of the power- After the airhas which drives the carrier. entered the chamber 9 it finds its waythrough the openings 12 to the passage 11, and thence to the pipe 36,from which it may be led off for any useful purpose.

It will be observed that the passage 11 forms practically a centralfluid chamber or duct and that each of the wings or vanes constitutes inconnection wit h the inclosing casing a pump. The plurality or series ofsuch pumps are mounted in proximity to the central fluidduct and radialthereof, and the connections between the pump-chambers and the wings orvanes to or with the said duct are such or It will be obvious to thoseskilled to the art to which the invention relates that modifications maybe made in details without departing from the spirit thereof. Hence I donot limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofpartshereinabove set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings;but,

Having thus described the nature and objects of the invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine of the class described comprising a cylindrical casinghaving inlets and a carrier provided with hinged vanes or wings andarranged within and eccentrically of said casing and one of said partsbeing rotatable in respect to the other, said carrier having a chamberformed therein, and passages communicating with said chamber and valvesin said passages arranged to be operated by the wings, substantially asdescribed.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a cylindrical casingprovided with inlets, a shaft fixed in respect to and arrangedeccentrically of said casing, a carrier revolubly mounted on said shaftand provided with movable wings or vanes the free ends of which ride onthe inner face of the casing, a receiving-chamber formed between saidshaft and carrier,-passages arranged under the vanes and communicatingwith said chamber and with the space included by the casing, andcheck-valves arranged in said passages and adapted to be actuated by thewings, substantially as described.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a cylindrical casinghaving inlets, a hollow "shaft arranged eccentrically of said casing, acarrier rotatably mounted on said hollow shaft and penetrating the headsof the cylindrical casing and of generally polygonal cross sectionwithin the casing, wings or vanes pivotally attached to the corners ofthe polygonal portion of said carrier, a receiving-chamber formedbetween said shaft and carrier, openings arranged beneath the vanes andcommunicating with said chamber,valves in said openings arranged to beactuated by the vanes, means for conducting a cooling medium throughsaid hollowshaft, and an eduction-passage located between said shaft andmeans, substantially as described.

4. A machine of the class specified, comprising a cylindrical casingprovided with inlets, and a carrier of generally polygonal crosssectionarranged within and eccentrically of said casing and one of said partsbeing rotatable in respect to the other, vanes or wings movablyconnected at or near the corners of the polygonal portion of thecarrier, a receiving-chamber formed within the carrier, passages throughsaid carrier for establishing communication with the receiving-chamber,substantially as described, and valves in said passages adapted to beactuated by the vanes.

5. A machine of the class specified, comprising a cylindrical casingprovided with inlets and a carrier of generally polygonal crosssectionarranged within and eccentrically of said casing and one of said partsbeing rotatable in respect to the other, vanes or wings movablyconnected at or near the corners of the polygonal portion of thecarrier, a receiving-chamber formed internally of said carrier, openingspenetrating the walls of the carrier and communicating with saidchamber, valves in said openings arranged to be operated by the vanes,and means for circulating a cooling agent through the machine,substantially as described.

6. A machine of the class specified, comprising a cylindrical casingprovided with inlets and a carrier of generally polygonal crosssectionarranged within and eccentrically of said casing and one of said partsbeing rotatable in respect to the other, vanes or wings hinged at ornear the corners of the polygonal portion of the carrier, at centralhollow shaft, a receiving-chamber formed between said shaft and carrier,openings penetrating the walls of the carrier and communicating withsaid chamber, valves in said openings arranged to be operated by thevanes, means for conducting a cooling agent through the shaft, and aneduction-passage formed between said shaft and means and communicatingwith the receiving-chamber, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class specified, the combination of a casingprovided with inlets and a revoluble carrier arranged within andeccentrically of said casing and having openings and an internal chamberwith which said openings communicate, check valves 'arranged in saidopenings, and Wings or vanes attached to the carrier and arranged toactuate said valves, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the classspecified, the combination of a revolublecarrier, a chamber within and a chamber around said carrier and saidchambers having communication through openings in the carrier, wings orvanes movably connected with the carrier, check-valves arranged in saidopenings in position to be actuated by the vanes, and means for openingand closing the vanes or wings in respect to the carrier and to theopenings in it, substantially as describedl 9. In a machine of the classspecified, th combination of a central hollow shaft, a pipe innerlyingthe shaft for conducting a cooling agent therethrough, a revolublecarrier, a chamber formed between the carrier and shaft and a chamberaround the carrier and said chambers having communication throughopenings in the carrier, wings or vanes movably connectedwith thecarrier, check-valves arranged in said openings in position to beactuated by the vanes, and means for opening or closing the vanes orwings in respect to the carrier and to the openings in it, substantiallyas described.

10. In a machine of the class specified the combination of a stationaryhollow shaft, a-

revolu ble carrier of generally polygonal crosssection provided withround corners, a charm ber within and a chamber around said carrier andsaid chambers having communication through the openings in the carrier,check-valves in said openings, wings or vanes pivotally attached nearthe corners of said carrier and provided with circular backs and withlips on their faces and adapted to operatively engage the check-valves,means for opening and closing the wings, and means forconductingacooling medium through the hollow shaft, substantially asdescribed.

11. A compressor comprising a Water-jacketed casing having air-inlets, awater-cooled stationary hollow shaft arranged eccentrically of andwithin the casing and provided with an eduction-passage, a carrierrotatable on said shaft and provided with extensions that penetrate theheads of the casing, a chamber formed between said carrierand shaft andcommunicating with said eductiou-passage, openings establishingcommunication between said chamber and the exterior of the carrier,valves for said openings, and wings or vanes movably attached to thecarrier and arranged to actuate the valves, substantially as described.

12. A compressor comprising a casing having inlets, a carrier providedwith hinged vanes or wings and arranged within and eccentrically of thesaid casing and one of said parts being rotatable in respect to theother, a central hollow shaft a receiving-chamber formed between saidshaft and carrier, valved passages being form ed below the wings forestablishing communication between the exterior of the carrier and thechamber and means whereby the compressed medium may be dischargedaxially of the machine, substantially as described.

13. An air-compressor comprising a casing having inlets, and a carrierprovided with hinged vanes or wings and arranged within said casing, oneof said parts being rotatable with respect to the other, the carrierbeing formed with an internal passage for air and ports leading to saidpassage, valves in said ports adapted to be actuated by the vanes, theinternal configuration of the casing being such with respect to thecarrier that the relative movement of the parts forces the vanes orwings to move toward said ports and their valves.

14:. An air-compressor comprising a casing having inlets, and a carrierprovided with hinged vanes or wings and arranged within said casing, oneof said parts being rotatable with respect to the other, the carrierbeing formed with an internal passage for air and 'ports leading to saidpassage, valvesia said ports adapted to be actuated by the vanes, theinternal configuration of the casing being such with respect to thecarrier that the relative movement of the parts forces the vanes orwings to move toward said ports and their valves, means being providedfor the circulation of water in proximity to the internal passage ofsaid carrier.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

MARK W. MARSDEN.

In presence of Les. A. RICHMOND, P. L. WOOLDRIDGE.

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